Inverted keel.



A. LE R. REUSS.

INVEBTED KEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 12, 190e.

Patented A101. 13, 1909.

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HHHHIHHH" Hummm IHN l)UNITE STATES ldeldtlvill @lllllllh ALBERT LE ROY REUSS, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

INVERTED T 0 all whom it may concern: l Be it known that I, ALBERT Ln ROY) REUss, a citizen of the United States, residl ing at Belleville, in the county of St. Clair No. 9??,896; Patented April 13, 1909.

Serial No. 457,353.

able width and length to form a perfect water seal intermediate the portions (8) of the boat, and being superposed and secured to the bottom (6) by nails (l0), or other equivalent fastening means. It will be noted that the distal ends of the strip (9) lie contiguous with respect to the inside of the portions (8). At these points I secure blocks (Il), the latter being quadrilateral in contour and otiierwise generally arranged as to conform with the curvilinear sides of the boat, and at the same time be in juxtaposition to the said end portions (S), the function of these blocks being obviously to reinforce the opposed terminals of the boat and preclude any likelihood of the water finding its way into the boat. To further strengthen the boat, as an entirety, I preferably rabbet the medial portions of the top supports (I2) and the ribs (13), as at 14, so that the said supports and ribs may extend transversely of the boat and in this manner impart the maximum amount of rigidity to the structure. It will thus be readily seen that the formation of the slot in the bottom of the boat constitutes an efficient means for directing the course thereof, the advantages of which in overcoming the inherent defects of the ordinary type of boats will be thoroughly understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

It should be understood that in its broader aspect my invention comprehends the employment not only of the various means described, but of equivalent means for performing the recited functions.

`ll'lhile the arrangement shown is thought, at the present time, to be preferable, it is desired to reserve the right to effect such modifications and variations thereof as may come fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is l. A boat having a slot extending through and longitudinally of the bottom thereof, and means for covering the slot on the inside of the boat.

2. A boat having solid portions at each end, a slot running longitudinally and medially of the bottom and solid portions of said boat and extending through said bottom, and means carried by the inside of the boat for covering said slot.

3. A boat having solid portions at each end, a slot running longitudinally and men and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inverted Keels, of which the following is a specifi- 1 cation.

My invention relates to boats, and more l particularly to that class of boats known as l nuntmg boats or skiffs.

The invention is directed to the provision of means whereby the boat may glide smoothly over the surface of the water and avoid any possibility of striking logs, stumps, rocks, and other submerged obstructions.

Specifically the invention contemplates the provision of a slot running longitudinally of a boat which not only insures perfect guidance thereof but obviates the disadvantage of any impingement of the keel against obstructions hidden beneath the surface ef the Water, which difficulty is frequently experienced with the use of the well known typ es of boats employing projected keels.

r1o the accomplishment of the recited object and others coordinate therewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides in that construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings Iligure I is a bottom plan view of a boat embodying my invention. Fig. II is a central transverse section of the boat. Fig. III is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of one end of the boat. Fig. IV is a top plan view of the boat, and Fig. V is a fragmentary plan view of one terminal of the boat, the top thereof being broken away to more clearly illustrate the features.

Referring more particularly to the drawings for a detail description of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a boat of any preferred construction, the bottom (6) of which is provided with a longitudinally and medially arranged slot (7), the said slot eX- tending entirely through the bottom (6) and through the opposite extremital portions (8) of the boat which are enlarged, as clearly shown in Fig. II of the drawings, to present a suitable thickness for the projecting of the slot. To cover the slot (7) and thus preclude any possibility of the water entering the interior of the boat there is a strip (9) of suitdially of the bottom and solid portions of portions and adapted to cover the slot in the said boat and extending through said botbottom, and blocks secured on the terminals tom, and a strip arranged intermediate said of said strips and lying contiguous said solid solid portions and adapted to cover the slot portions and the sides of the boat. 5 in the bottom. In testimon;T whereof I aliX my signature, l 4. A boat having solid portions at each' in presence of two Witnesses. end, a, slot running longitudinalbT and rne- I A. LE ROY REUSS. dially of the bottom and solid portions of said boat and extending through said bot- 10 tom, a. strip arranged intermediate said solid Vitnesses FRED E. EVANS, ADAM GRUEBER. 

